Bloomingdale High School

My son came here with honors and AP classes. We opted to send him here as opposed to Brandon with it's "inferior" reputation but have learned that outside of their "great" music program it is no better than Brandon. Sure kids aren't getting shot in the parking lot (that's expected) it's why I live here and not "the hood"! In any case I have tried three times to get a meeting with someone in the office with zero success. Left messages in person the second and third time because I had no success on the phone my first try. I had to leave messages because there was no one there to see me on those visits. I attempted to talk to some of the teachers in person because the Edline entries are a joke. In the large majority of cases entries were made as late as three weeks after the facts. Far from real-time! thus misleading us parents. Sometimes a problem may be too far gone by the time we see it on Edline. My son is no angel or Ace but through tight monitoring was able to stay on top of his game till he got here. The Aces and nerds do well anywhere, it's average kids like mine that need the support!!! Bloomingdale is a ton of fun, but for fun we have the fair. It will do till 2013!!!
--Submitted by a parent

This school could be so much better. The academics offered are good, but as a parent you need to stay informed and top of good classes and good teachers. The administration will give the parent a hard time, but there are ways around them ( if you aren't afraid of making someone mad). The students have great school spirit. If they didn't accept bussing from undersirable areas , that are not within the boundary of this school the grade would be an "A". They allow anyone to enter this school on school choice, where as another nearby high school is selective and rejects students they feel aren't a good fit (they are an "A").
--Submitted by a parent

We bought a house in the neighborhood because it was supposed to be a great school. It was a great school for drug dealers and business was booming on the streets before and after school. There were lots of drug busts in our subdivision and the kids had very creative ways to transfer their merchandise. The school SRO was great, and I called him a lot... but they needed more than one on duty policeman to keep up with the volume. Monitor your kids friends carefully. The year my son graduated, there were 3 at least extacy related deaths of teens in the area. We moved, thank God! Unfortunately, it is one of the better schools in the area. I can only imagine how bad the others must be. I do not recommend Hillsborough County as a place to raise kids.
--Submitted by a parent

Bloomingdale is by far the best high school I have ever attended. The teacher and staff are always there to help you threw anything and only wants whats best for us kids. The school spirit we have is not comparable to any other school in the nation! Our student body is very close and our parents help make this school even better!I would not choose any other school but Bloomingdale.
--Submitted by a student

Bloomingdale is just an all around great school. I would highly recommend it to any parent who is looking for a good school in the area. I have friends from a lot of the other school in the area and I've never heard anything completely amazing from any of them. Bloomingdale has such great school spirit and the biggest heart. Especially the music department which I am proud to be apart of. It has tons of praise and if your child isn't a music student, stick 'em in chorus! You wont regret choosing this school, the teachers are 95% percent awesome and there are plenty of AP classes to choose from. I'll never forget my time as a Bloomingdale Bull!!
--Submitted by a student

I just started my freshman year at Bdale, and I am in love with it. The teachers push me to my fullest. Our school has the best spirit. We have so much fun, and I know I will never regret going here. I love it!
--Submitted by a student

bloomingdale high school is a good school. im not saying it doesnt have its flaws but end the end the teachers do a great job. although they are pretty strictt, its only for our best. this would be an excellent school for a student to be academically successful and gain good morals. go bulls flag football!!
--Submitted by a student

When I began looking for a teaching position, I did a great deal of research and concluded that Bloomingdale was the Greatest High School in the World. That has not changed. The neighborhood has changed, the cliental has changed, the administration has changed, but the heart and soul of any school is it's faculty, which maintains a sort of continuity. If I thought there were a better school somewhere, anywhere, that's where I would be.
--Submitted by a teacher

Solid academics, wide array of AP classes available. Outstanding music programs rival magnet schools (orchestra in decline after traveling to china over the summer of 2008. Still one of the largest string programs in the south ). Science department is the weakest subject (except physics). Little help from the front office. Guidance office is useless.
--Submitted by a parent

Bloomingdale is a great school. I graduated in 2007 and sometimes wish I could be back there again. The music deparment is one of the best around and being involved with the chorus was part of the reason I loved Bdale so much.
--Submitted by a student